Routine Mission Blues
by urdreamkeeper
Summary: Finished! Will Jack find the cure for those blues?
1. Default Chapter

Routine Mission blues-- and a way to cure them  
  
Jack and Jonas are both injured while on a mission off world. During their re-coop time, Jack teaches Jonas a new sport. I have lots of ideas to keep the plot rolling, so please read and review, and let me know if I should continue on or scrap this one and start over.  
  
Rating- PG  
Author- urdreamkeeper  
Email- urdreamkeeper@msn.com  
Category- general/humor/angst  
Season- 6 since Jonas is in it  
  
Disclaimer- I own no part of Stargate or it's characters, so please don't sue! I just wanted to see our heroes engage in a little extra curricular activity after a not so routine mission that's all.  
"Sir, this is Carter, please respond. Over?"  
  
Nothing since the Colonel's last transmission thirty minutes ago. Well, this was just perfect, Sam thought to herself. What had started out as a wonderful day, and a very uneventful mission, was ending in typical SG-1 fashion-- eventful. Sighing and feeling her body prepare for action, Sam keyed her radio again.  
  
"Teal'c, are you monitoring? The colonel isn't responding on his radio, and I am having just as hard a time trying to raise Jonas as the Colonel was."  
"I am aware of the situation Major Carter, what is your location?"  
"I'm about three clicks due south of you Teal'c. I have just left a uh.. forest of sorts, and I am standing at the top of some pretty tough looking cliffs. This might be the way to the cave that Jonas was referring to. I think something has happened to them, and if this is the way that they were headed, then I definitely have something to worry about."   
Sam stood at the top of the cliffs looking down at a jagged drop off, with numerous routes and paths all the way to the bottom.   
"Understood Major carter, I will reach your location in approximately twenty minutes."  
"Okay Teal'c. I can't really do anything else until you get here, so I am going to do a little bit of recon, and meet you at the top of these cliffs in twenty minutes or so. Copy that?"  
"Agreed."  
The radio's silence wasn't very comforting, so Sam took off in a westerly direction scouting the area for any signs of Colonel O'Neill or Jonas. She was beginning to understand the Colonel's skepticism whenever SG-1 was slated for a routine mission. They never had just a routine mission. They could never just get samples and go. They could never just set up a remote observatory of another planet's .... whatever the SGC was paying for that week to be observed, and go. It was usually the routine missions that got one of her three favorite companions in some sort of trouble. Well two favorite companions anyway. Jonas was kind of growing on her, and he didn't seem to get himself in near as much trouble as Daniel used to. She continued on for another eight minutes until she heard a scream of perfect agony coming from somewhere below her.  
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//I am not babysitting him today, I swear to God. I'll give him one thing, he's about as persistent as Daniel was when it comes to rocks and caves and writings. Damn sunny day, mineral survey, routine mission. From now on, we are not classifying our missions as routine. We are finding a new word for missions that don't involve unfriendly fire. //  
Jack chased after Jonas silently grumbling to himself. He was SO enjoying watching Carter collect her samples. He enjoyed watching Carter do anything. He even imagined watching Carter... never mind. Jonas had the worst timing, too. Just as he had parked himself beside some kind of a tree-like thing, and had started to doze, his newest alien comrade had come over the radio exclaiming gleefully something about writings, and a cave. By the time Jack had caught up to Jonas, the athletic man was already most of the way down the cliff, weaving his way through the ledges and slipping his way down to what could only be the cave he had so briefly babbled about on the radio.  
"Jonas, this is O'Neill. I am at the edge of the hill and I see where you are headed, and I am NOT authorizing you to go in there, over."  
"Colonel, just give me ten minutes okay? The markings on the altar we saw when we came through the Stargate were Goa'uld as I said, and although this planet seems to be deserted, I think there might be......."  
The radio hissed static as O'Neill watched Jonas enter the cave. The transmission was no longer audible. Whatever elements made up this planet, apparently they were too strong for Sg-1's radio transmitters to contend with.  
Sighing, Jack keyed his radio to hail Carter and Teal'c.   
//I should have zatted him and tied him to that tree-thing until Carter was done with her survey. //  
"Teal'c, Carter, this is O'Neill, copy?"  
"Colonel, is everything okay?"  
"I am here O'Neill."  
"Yeah uh.. Listen up. Jonas just decided he doesn't like his spot on SG-1. So after I fetch him, and we head back to the SGC, don't let me forget to remind Hammond about a replacement."  
"Did Jonas take off again sir?" Carter was smiling, he could hear it.  
"I believe Jonas Quinn is quite content being a member of SG-1 O'Neill. Why would he require a replacement?"  
" Because Teal'c, I am going to break his legs so he can't run away from me again. Does that answer your question Carter? Teal'c, you stay with the Stargate, and the survey and sample equipment. Carter, you head in my direction. South, until you come to a big, honkin' pile of rocks, and then west, got it?"  
"Understood sir!"   
//She said that with way too much amusement. I can't believe she thinks this is funny. I am going to miss the Avalanche vs. Black hawks game tonight, and I know it. //  
" I will wait here for further instruction O'Neill".  
" Roger that. Over and out." Jack started the not too steady descent down to the cave where he saw Jonas go in.  
The path was treacherous, and several times along the way, Jack found himself on his butt, cursing at Jonas every time.  
//How in the Hell did he get down here so fast? WITHOUT breaking his ass? That's okay, at least I'll have that satisfaction for myself if I ever get down there in one piece. I wish carter would hurry up, this would be a lot more fun if she was falling on her ass too. //  
Jack made it to the opening of the cave and tried Jonas again on the radio. Nothing except for the static that had become infuriatingly familiar in the time since Jonas had disobeyed his order to not explore the cave.  
Jack took his flashlight from his gear and started in towards the darkness, calling Jonas's name. 


	2. chapter2

RM Chapter 2

Author's note: so now we get to our angst part, and the next few chapters will be the humor part, and I think that just about covers it. Enjoy!

It didn't take Jack very long to get to Jonas. About fifty feet inside the cave, there was no longer a cave, but a gigantic cavern that didn't seem to end. At least not as far as Jack's flashlight was concerned.

"Jonas!?!" O'Neill all but screamed out a lung

From somewhere in the echoing black hole came a weak and muffled reply.

"Colonel? There was a spot near the edge of the cavern that gave way! I have fallen about a hundred meters, and busted my flashlight!

//Busted your ass is more like it!! I hope he's not hurt too badly, or I will regret saying that. //

Jack refrained from asking Jonas what else he had busted.

"Are you hurt? Can you wait until I find Carter and Teal'c? Teal'c and I can pull you out, but I don't have the pack with the rope in it, Carter's got that one!"

O'Neill shined his flashlight at the edge of the cavern by his feet, and saw the spot where Jonas must have gone down. Something wasn't right. The edge was too perfect, too clean. Jonas interrupted Jack's observation.

"Colonel, I think I may have broken both of my legs! I can't feel the right one at all, and I only have feeling in the left one above the knee! When the ground broke away, I came straight down on my feet to this little ledge that I am on now! Colonel? Colonel O'Neill!?"

Jack swallowed the lump in his throat, regretting his earlier transmission to Teal'c about breaking Jonas's legs. Sort of. At least he was still alive and conscious, a lot more could have gone wrong.

//Who am I kidding? This is bad enough, I really hope this is the low point of the day. //

Jack was chuckling at his own pun, when he turned back to belt out a reply to Jonas.

"Okay Jonas, I understand your situation. Just don't move from that ledge, I am going to get Carter and Teal'c!"

//Not like you can MOVE anyway. //

"Sure thing Colonel!" Jonas was trying to conceal his pain as he called back up to the shallow light from above. 

Just then, as he was shining his flashlight across the small cave, Jack noticed the inscriptions on the walls of the entrance to the cavern where he was standing. They were everywhere. Just like the inscriptions on a...

"On a Goa'uld ship." He finished the thought out loud.

The alarm bells went off in O'Neill's head just two seconds too late. He heard the click. He felt the ground start to move under his feet. He let go of his P-90 as his butt collided with the edge of the floor. And as he went down, his head collided with the same edge as his butt had a half-second before. He felt nothing but air. He saw nothing but darkness, and he screamed in peril.

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" Major Carter, I have reached the edge of the cliff, in which direction do I turn?" 

Teal'c had made incredible time. Never quite knowing what to expect with the human warriors always kept his battle skills sharp. He credited his agility and quickness in part to his symbiote, but mostly to Bra'tac who had trained him for so long. However, here he was now, facing the slightest bit of uncertainty as he overlooked the awesome view before him. The sharp cliffs with their rusty hews of orange and brown, stared right back at him, daring him to take one step further out.

" Glad you made it so quickly Teal'c." Sam responded on her radio. The Colonel's scream still rang through her ears. Even though it seemed to have happened ages ago.

"Head west, down slope, I'm not that far away. Teal'c....I think I just heard the Colonel scream a few minutes ago, it sounded like he was in some kind of trouble. Hurry, okay Teal'c?"

"I will join you shortly Major Carter." Teal'c took off at a dead run as fast as he could to where Sam was not so patiently waiting. O'Neill was a formidable warrior, and Teal'c could scarcely remember more than a few times when he ever cried out in battle. So he hurried on as fast as he could.

Sam stood at the beginning of the snarled path that led the way down to what she presumed was the cave that had gotten Jonas so fired up. She remembered Jonas announcing to everyone that the altar had Goa'uld writing on it, but she zoned out after it was determined that the planet was no longer inhabited. Naquida deposits in the soil were far more interesting to devote her attention to. Sometimes it also hurt seeing Jonas with Daniel's references that he sometimes used for his translations. She didn't care how quick a study Jonas was, the art of the languages was in Daniel's blood, he was born to do his work. 

//Funny how the more of Daniel's stuff he reads, the more he is beginning to act like him. Taking off on a wild Goa'uld chase, just like Daniel used to. //

Yup. She was definitely getting to like Jonas more everyday. Even the thought of the Colonel getting wound up over Jonas's little escape brought a smile to her lips. And it did add a little pizzazz to the ROUTINE mission they were supposed to be on. 

//Geez, they really need to find another way to define the missions where we are not supposed to get shot 

at. //

Sam watched as Teal'c came barreling down the slope of the cliff towards her, glad finally to have some company again.

"Hi Teal'c. It looks like a path here see?" 

Teal'c looked down at the twisted trail and saw what Major Carter was pointing at. A fair sized cave, almost three-quarters of the way down the cliff.

"I can see the cave that Jonas Quinn spoke of, is that where you believe he and O'Neill have ventured?"

"Teal'c, I mentioned to you that I found Naquida in the soil right?"

"So you did." The big Jaffa raised his charismatic eyebrow in his all too familiar sideways glance.

"Well," said Sam " If they are in that cave, and the Naquida is preventing them from using their radios due to the interference, we have to check it out to at least make sure that they are okay, right? It's the only shot we have. Besides, they definitely ventured in. It's the NOT venturing out part that I am slightly worried about."

" I will take the lead down the path." said Teal'c, as stoic and Jaffa-like as possible. 

Sam very well knew that Teal'c 's way of dealing with the unknown was to charge ahead and keep focused on whatever task was at hand. This time, he literally charged ahead, leaving Sam to pray that she didn't humiliate herself by falling down the steep path.

// Yes, we only play Jaffa bowling when we are taking out the ENEMY Jaffa. //

Sam cringed. She couldn't believe she was making jokes at a time like this. Even if the jokes were to herself. She decided that she'd been around the Colonel a little too much lately, and that made her smile. She loved being around the Colonel, and she couldn't think of very many times when she wasn't smiling around him. Or at least trying not to smile. 

The path in front of her suddenly brought Sam back from her trip to O'Neill land, and as she started to go ass over tin cups, Teal'c was there with his strong arms to make sure she didn't fall.

"Thank you Teal'c. I'm sorry about that, I wasn't paying much attention to where I was going." She hoped her charming smile and batting eyelashes were enough to ward off any of his inquiries about where her train of thought had been. Teal'c didn't even seem to notice.

"We have arrived at the cave Major Carter. However we should approach this cave with caution. See there? Inscriptions carved into the entranceway by the Goa'uld. It is faded, worn, and of an ancient Goa'uld dialect. I am uncertain as to its translation. Maybe the markings on the inside of the cave are more in tact as a result of less contact with the weather on this planet."

"Okay Teal'c. Now that we know this is the cave, let's be especially vigilant. Whatever has happened to Colonel O'Neill and Jonas, we don't want the same thing to happen to us. When we get inside, let's see how much of the writing on the walls you can translate. That might give us a clue as to where those guys went. I'll do some silent reconnaissance so as not to alarm any possible hostiles. Agreed?" Sam didn't know why she asked, Teal'c always agreed. On the outside anyway. 

Teal'c simply nodded, turned on his flashlight, and entered the cave, with Carter following close behind.

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Should I continue? We haven't even gotten our heroes back to the SGC yet. What do you think? More to come in chapters 3,4, and 5. Let me know if you like it!


	3. chapter 3 filling in

Chapter 3 Filling In

Authors note: okay so chapter three is filling in the rest of the angst, and setting the stage for what I hope will be a decent ending. Thanks for all of the reviews I'm drooling! Let me know what you think, what ever you think is okay, I need all the help I can get!

Everything was dark. Jack didn't know if he was awake or... dead. He tried to move his legs. Nothing happened. He opened his eyes, or thought he did, then felt a rather rude nudge at the top of his right bicep.

//There's no place like home... especially when I'm in carter's lab...there's..//

".. no place like...Oww!" Fire ripped up the Colonel's back as he tried without success to roll over onto his side. That was enough to completely bring him around though, and this time he did open his eyes. Jonas was shining a light right in his face. HIS light. Jack was not too pleased with himself for dropping his weapon, but at least the flashlight made up for it.

"Colonel, I'm glad you're awake. I heard you scream and got out of the way as best as I could. It's a long way down, isn't it? Where are you injured? Can I do anything to help?" 

Jonas ever-dutiful even in crisis mode was trying his best to ignore his own numb legs and concentrate on his team leader. He figured it was the least he could do, since he was the one responsible for their situation.

Fuming at the idea of having to spend yet another weekend after a ROUTINE mission in the infirmary, Jack was reluctant to answer.

"A long way down?" Glaring at Jonas, Jack could feel his insides rile and he hoped Jonas was prepared for an ass whooping, injury be damned.

"At least you could have broken my fall, I can't even move my damned legs! And what was that business with ignoring my orders not to go in that cave?! Do you know that you set off some sort of a Goa'uld booby trap? And I'll just bet you didn't get around to translating the Goa'uld writing all over that cave either before you took your little... tumble!"

"Colonel look...I am truly sorry, but I thought this might be important. According to the text that was OUTSIDE the cave, this was supposed to be an ancient depository for Naquadria. At first, I thought I had mis-translated, but I checked again, and it's definitely Naquadria, not Naquida. Do you know what this could mean?"

Jack felt himself starting to relax, and realized that with relaxing, also came the pain he'd been ignoring while being pissed off at Jonas. He tried to sit up, and bit his tongue to hold back the yelp from the effort.

"Yeah, I know what this means Jonas. It means I am missing my damned hockey game tonight, I didn't set the VCR, I have to spend my weekend and probably more in the infirmary with God knows what kind of new gizmo the doc has hooked up to me. And although you thought you were on to some amazing discovery, this _depository_ or whatever it was, is probably abandoned now for a REASON."

Ranting had a way of making Jack feel better about any situation in which he had no control over, but the throbbing in his back and head were outranking the tantrum he was trying to have, so he cut his complaining short. The military side of O'Neill took over, and he started to assess he and Jonas's situation. 

============================================================================

Silently, Sam crept behind Teal'c into the entrance of the cave. The big Jaffa suddenly stopped in his tracks and raised his arm to signal to Carter. The pair pointed their flashlights straight ahead, and together they looked out into a black abyss.

At first, Sam just thought that her eyes were slow to adjust. She then realized that what they were looking at was a massive cavernous room. She followed the glow of her flashlight down to her feet and was surprised to find what appeared to be both Colonel O'Neill's tracks and probably Jonas's as well. But the other thing that caught the astute eye of the Major was the sudden disappearance of both sets of tracks... straight down.

//I hope Janet isn't planning on going home tonight, I have a feeling these guys have other plans for occupying the infirmary when we get home. //

Sam nudged Teal'c in the side to get his attention, and they both took a step further back. If they hadn't done that, they might have seen the faintest light coming from somewhere below them in the artificial night.

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" One, Two, Three...! Ha Ha a rock is bigger than paper! I beat you!"

"Colonel, I thought that paper covered rock?" Jonas said baffled. 

After determining that neither man could go anywhere, especially in the condition that they were in, and also with the lack of rope or an Asguard transporter, Jack decided on paper, rock, scissors to pass the time.

The small piece of rock that they had landed on was about fifteen feet on all sides, jutting out from the face of the wall that the two men had fallen down. Jonas had determined that he had broken his legs, but Jack didn't feel so lucky. In fact, Jack wasn't feeling much of anything below the waist. He was, however, feeling a searing hot pain that seemed to radiate from the small of his back through to the fillings in his teeth. And also a heavy dreadful worry. This was one injury, he had been happy to say he had never sustained until now. In fact, as often as he joked about his back being out, Jack hadn't ever had any trouble with that part of his body.

//Guess I'll have to add that to list. God that hurts. I'll be damned if I let genius boy know it though. Just have to keep as still as possible. //

"It does cover rock Jonas, but I am bigger than you are, and I am also your commanding officer, so I say I win!" Jack said in complete seriousness.

"Colonel O'Neill, do you think Major Carter and Teal'c will be able to find us? I wasn't exactly helpful with directions before I.."

"Wandered off?" Jack finished Jonas's sentence for him.

"Right, well our radios won't reach outside the cave, but if they come in the entrance, we should be able to scream for help, and get rescued right?"

Jack could feel a fatherly moment coming on here. "Have faith, Jonas. Carter and Teal'c can't live without me, and .." Jack pushed the nightglow button on his watch. "..and as of right now, we are an hour and a half over due back at the SGC. Since this was supposed to be a ROUTINE mission, Hammond will be especially itchy because we haven't reported back yet. He'll probably send another SG team through to look for us too. I know Carter is on the way, but I told Teal'c to stay at the gate with the survey equipment. I know that we both feel like we've been hit by a massive fly swatter.." Jack chuckled at the twisted grimace on Jonas's face. "..but all we can do is lie here and wait. They'll be here. I know Carter won't let us down."

"Actually sir, I was rather hoping Major carter could find a way to get us back up, seeing as we're already down."

//I wonder if there are any regs saying that a commanding officer may not assault his alien sub-ordinates. Huh. I guess I am rubbing off on him. //

"Smart-ass. Wanna play I spy?"


	4. Chapter 4 The Discovery

Chapter 4 The Discovery

Author's note: I know this is a long one, but it's funny, and necessary, enjoy!

"Major Carter, I believe it is safe for us to resume conversation. From what I have observed of this world, it's abandonment seems to be complete." Teal'c waited patiently for an answer from Sam.

"Yeah, okay Teal'c, we haven't seen any signs of danger anyhow.....well, except for that."

Carter pointed her flashlight to the edge where her other team members' tracks vanished. 

"But look Teal'c, something's wrong. Both the Colonel and Jonas had their own flashlights. They had to have noticed the cavern. It's kind of hard not to. It just doesn't make any sense. They didn't deliberately walk right off. There has to be another explanation."

"I agree Major Carter. How do we go about locating Jonas Quinn and O'Neill? Should we report back to General Hammond in regards to this situation? Maybe there is some of your equipment that would be of use."

Carter shined her flashlight out into the cavern for one last look.

Jack had fallen into a sullen silence, and Jonas was doing his best to keep the conversation alive. Even if it was only one-sided.

//God, does he have an off switch? I don't know who's worse, him or Carter. //

Just then, Jack glanced back up for what seemed the hundredth time, at the spot where the entrance to the cave was. He saw the white light from the entrance, but as he followed it with his eyes, the light seemed to grow across to the wall opposite from where he and Jonas were perched. 

He shushed Jonas, and signaled for him to look up.

"I think that might be Major Carter. Should we yell, Colonel?" Jonas was eager to get home too, but knew he'd better take the Colonel's lead.

" CARTER!!?!! IS THAT YOU?!!' Jack wasn't going to waste a breath, and instead of answering Jonas, he just screamed. Jonas followed suit.

"MAJOR CARTER!! COLONEL O'NEILL AND I ARE DOWN HERE, CAN YOU HEAR US?!!!!"

Sam and Teal'c quickly exchanged glances, and Sam smiled in relief at the faint sound of the rest of her team coming from below. Her first instinct was to take a step towards the edge to see where the voices were coming from. Teal'c put a gentle hand on her left shoulder and looked down.

"I don't think it is wise to risk a look down. The edge may be unstable."

Sam had an idea. She keyed her radio.

"Sir, this is Carter, we hear you, do you read, over?"

Jack was so surprised by his 2IC's voice on his radio, that at first he just put his hand up to answer back, and nothing came out of his mouth.

//Okay, that's ODD. I swear they didn't work half an hour ago. //

Jonas took advantage of the opportunity and responded on his own radio. 

"Major, it's great to hear from you, but how is it that we are able to use our radios now, and we weren't before?"

Sam smiled again. "From the samples I took this morning, I think that Naquida is one of the base elements of this planet's geological makeup. If that's the case, then transmission from anyone inside the cave to someone on the outside would be blocked. However, the signal on the inside of the cave should be enhanced by the Naquida, therefore making it easier to communicate with our radios."

"Actually, it's Naquadria, Major. That's why I was so fascinated with this cave." Jonas came back across the radio. "I thought that I had mis-translated, but I didn't. It's definitely Naquadria. I think this cavern was some sort of depository."

"Don't encourage her Jonas." Said Jack off the air. "You do realize what you've started now right?"

"Jonas do you know what this means?" asked Sam excitedly over the static free waves.

"Actually, Colonel O'Neill has already taken the liberty to advise me on what this situation means. But.. um Major, we are both hurt pretty bad down here. I think I may have broken both of my legs, and the Colonel says that he can't even feel his. We could really use some help."

Teal'c readily joined in. "I will return to the SGC O'Neill, and bring back another SG team as well as the equipment needed to rescue both you and Jonas Quinn."

"Thanks Teal'c, it will be GREATLY appreciated. Oh... and tell Hammond the next time he wants us to go on a ROUTINE mission, it had better be to the local hardware store for some duct tape."

// Or to the local liquor store for a six pack//

"As you wish, O'Neill. I will return shortly with reinforcements." Teal'c nodded curtly to Sam and then left to take the three or four mile journey back to the gate.

"Colonel, I have to ask you a question." Sam challenged over the radio.

"As long as the answer requires words that are less than three syllables long, okay. Besides, Jonas isn't any good at I spy."

"It's a dark, rocky cavern sir." Sam said dryly. 

"Carter, your question?" came back O'Neill.

"Oh. Right. How did the two of you end up down there? I know you didn't just walk right off the edge."

Sam unconsciously took a tiny step back.

" Well, Carter, to be honest, I think it was some sort of Goa'uld booby trap. Jonas said that the ground gave way when he fell. But the break at the edge was too clean. When I went closer to investigate, I heard a click, felt my feet go out from under me, and here we are. So uh... don't get too close, okay?"

"I noticed the clean edge too, sir. Let me have a look around, and see if I can find the triggering device. Oh and Colonel? Try to keep as still as possible. From the sound of it, you may have a spinal injury, and you need to remain stabilized so as not to cause further damage."

"Yes mother." came the reply.

Sam began her search along the side of the cave to her left, closest to her feet. She scanned with her light up the side of the wall and overhead to her right. When she reached the lowest point by her right foot, she noticed a suspicious crack along the bottom lip of the wall that led back towards the entrance. She followed with her light back to the edge of the cavern. Kneeling down, she started to brush away the dirt near the crack. About six inches away from the edge, her hand brushed over something cold and solid. Sam uncovered an unidentifiable piece of technology that ran completely flat along the entire width of the cave. She scooted back further, and brushed more dirt away. She realized that whatever it was that had sent Jonas and the Colonel down, was big enough to span the entire entrance to the cavern. She also noticed that the plate (for lack of better words) was segmented, about every eight inches back or so.

//uh oh. I'm standing on it right now. // Sam licked her lips, and called up her CO.

"Sir, I found what looks like some kind of a pressure plate. If my theory is correct.."

//..and it usually is..// Jack thought snidely. 

"When you set your weight down on the plate, it triggered a release ...somewhere.. and broke loose. The plate seems to be divided into six to eight inch segments. If you go too close to the edge and step on the last segment....."

"Okay." said Jack. "Now we know HOW it happened, let's work on a way to get us outta here, what do you say Major?"

"Sir, I am going to lower the rope in my pack down to you. I know there is not much use for it, but it will help me gauge how far down you have fallen. Copy that sir?"

"Jonas will be able to help you Carter; I am rather indisposed at the moment." The Colonel was trying to move as little as possible.

Sam unfastened her pack and pulled out the rope. It was two hundred feet long, and if it didn't reach most of the way down she knew it would be a long day for a rescue. She sure hoped Teal'c was making good time. The injuries that both of her team members had sustained were severe enough to really complicate the whole process, especially Colonel O'Neill's. She really didn't want to think of what would happen if the Colonel truly did have a spinal injury. Sam unwound the rope and taking another step back she wrapped one end around her wrist, and the other she tossed into the vast crevasse, over the side of the cavern wall.

"Major Carter, I see the end of the rope! It's about fifty feet above us!" Jonas was shining his flashlight eagerly on the wall, still lying in the same position as he'd been in since the Colonel had joined him over two hours ago. Moving out of the way had been instinct, he really didn't want the Colonel to be hurt too, but there wasn't much he could do now. Jonas really hoped that Jack's injuries were not too bad, and he had a feeling that if and when the Colonel got better, then he would be more than happy to put Jonas on water duty for SG-1's next few missions.

"Okay Jonas, that's not too bad, all we have to do now is wait for Teal'c to get back with the rescue team."

Sam was getting more anxious with each passing minute.

"Colonel, sir, how are you feeling?"

Jack keyed his radio. "Well, Carter, it's a good thing I found a tree-thing before Jonas decided he wanted to play hide and seek. Otherwise, I might start a little disaster of my own down here. Not that I can actually tell if I have to go or not, but that might or might not be a blessing."

Sam chuckled. "Yes sir. Hang in there sir."

Just then, shadows fell on the floor in front of where Sam was sitting, and she turned around to see Teal'c and SG-9, and SG-13 at the mouth of the cave.

"We have returned Major Carter. General Hammond had already authorized SG-9 on a reconnaissance mission to seek our whereabouts. He has also sent SG-13 to aid in the rescue. What is the status of Colonel O'Neill and Jonas Quinn?"

"They're still communicating with us, at least." Turning towards the other teams. "It's great to see you guys, here's the deal......"

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The last part is on its way, feedback rewarded with a great ending!! (drools in angst) 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 

Author's note: This is a quickie. Thank you to everyone who's reviewed, bless you all!

Sam had finished explaining the situation to the other teams, and showing them the technology on the floor of the cave. Now they were trying to figure out a way to lower both the rescue equipment and SG members down to where Jonas and Jack were, without setting off the Booby trap. Sam took one of the tent poles out of Teal'c's pack, and proceeded to get as close as she dared to the end of the segmented plate.

"Teal'c, hold onto my feet, will you? As much as I want the Colonel and Jonas back safe and sound, I don't want to join them down there."

"As you wish. Please advance with caution Major Carter."

Sam laid down on her belly and Teal'c grabbed a hold of her feet. She used the tent pole to prod the last segment of the plate closest to the edge. Nothing happened. She pushed harder down. Still..nothing.

//I thought for sure that it was triggered by pressure. //

As she relaxed her grip on the tent pole, she heard a barely audible click, and the plate segment disintegrated right before her eyes, leaving her eight inches closer to the newly formed edge.

Sam was excited however, this was good news.

"Okay Teal'c, pull me back." Sam stood up and brushed herself off. "The bad news is, is that the plate seems to be pretty sensitive in relation to the amount of pressure exerted on it. The good news is, it only triggers when the pressure is released."

SG's 9 and 13 were listening intently. Since they did not go on daily missions with Major Carter, and the life of their beloved Colonel was on the line, Sam could see that they were all trying extra hard to understand what she was saying.

"In other words, we have to keep whatever weight we apply to the plate equally distributed, and constant. It won't break away unless there is a shift in weight, or the pressure is removed entirely. So let's get to work."

Instead of sending just one rescuer down at a time to aid the rest of SG-1, two of them went that weighed about the same amount. So that required both teams to work together simultaneously to lower both the equipment and their other team members. Carter kept constant vigil on the plate, also making sure that each man going down had exactly the same equipment. One member from SG-9 and one from SG-13 were carefully lowered on either side of the plate, instead of at the middle, to distribute their weight evenly. When they reached the spot where the Colonel and Jonas had landed, Sam hailed them on her radio.

"Major Berle, this is Major carter. I need both you and Captain Grant to leave your harnesses on. Do not disconnect from the ropes. We have to keep as little slack in the rope as possible to maintain the weight distribution. You'll have to work very carefully. Major, do you copy?"

Berle reached for his radio. "Understood, but Major Carter, how are we supposed to get the stretcher up to you if we are still connected to the ropes?"

" We are sending down a second set of harnesses and ropes. Use the second harness on Jonas and we will pull him up. His injuries aren't significant enough to require the stretcher. When he gets up here, we will lower the other set of ropes. Connect them to either side of the stretcher, and then we will pull the Colonel up too. When he's all the way up and out of the way, we will pull you and Captain Grant up. But please, keep as little slack in the rope as you can at all times. We'll do our part to try and keep you stable."

"Understood, Major, we'll do our best. Berle out."

"Thank you Major Carter." Grant chimed in.

"What took you guys so long?" Jack inquired of the two rescuers. 

"We got here as fast as we could sir." said Grant "How are you doing?" His eyes flitted from the Colonel to Jonas and back again.

"We are just two happy campers, hangin' out here in the Goa'uld version of the Bat cave. And I got to tell you; Jonas is terrible at I spy." Jack smiled tritely. "Seriously though. We've been splatted like bugs on a windshield. How do you think we're doing?"

"Understood sir. The Captain and I Just need to assess you and Jonas's injuries, and I need to put this collar on you to stabilize your neck."

"Yeah, I know the drill Major. Hey... You don't happen to watch hockey at all do you?" Jack wasn't too hopeful

"Yes sir actually I'm quite a fan. In fact, if we get you back to the SGC soon enough, I have tickets to the Avalanche game tonight. My girlfriend is a diehard fan too, and we have some great seats. Second level, center ice."

Jack fumed quietly as he watched Jonas being hauled up to safety.

" Um..Sir?" Major Berle looked at the Colonel. "Why were you playing I spy in the dark?"

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"Well, Colonel, you have a bone fragment of Lumbar vertebrae number five that is compressing your spinal cord. It is definitely repairable, and once the fragment is removed, you should regain normal function. I don't see any damage to the spinal cord itself, so the loss of sensation should only be temporary. We'll just take you in to surgery, and have you fixed up in no time. You also have another concussion, which we do have to keep an eye on, but in a few weeks you're going to be as good as new. You were very lucky sir."

Janet Frasier couldn't help but wonder if the Colonel wouldn't be so lucky next time.

// I thought they were just going on a routine mission. So much for my weekend. At least Cass has plans. Ah well, duty calls. //

"Hey doc?" muttered the groggy Jack. "Not that I care right about now," as he saw by the clock that face off was only moments away, "but how's Jonas?"

"Well sir, he has bilateral tibia and fibula fractures, and a pretty severe femur fracture on the right side. Some scrapes and bruises, but I think he fared a bit better than you did. He too, should be up and around again in six to eight weeks. So it looks like you two will be getting quite a bit of well-deserved downtime!"

"No offense doc, but I have had about all the DOWN time with Jonas that I can stand being stuck in that crater, or whatever it was, and now you are telling me I have to spend the next EIGHT weeks in here with him?"

"About that, sir. Maybe more or less depending on how well your recovery is going."

Jack groaned.

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	6. chapter 6 a new game

Chapter 6 A new game

Author's note: This is it folks, the end. I had a lot of fun with this chapter, hope you enjoy the neat little surprise.

Three weeks later, Sg-1 had its first briefing since their _routine _mission. All team members were in attendance, with Jack and Jonas both in wheel chairs. General Hammond had summoned the group for their first post mission briefing right in the commissary since there were stairs leading up to the briefing room, and that was unacceptable given O'Neill and Jonas's circumstances. He scheduled it between meals so the commissary would be empty, and ordered the remaining mess crew out until the briefing was over.

"Well, SG-1, it is good to have you all back together again." Hammond started the meeting off in his usual down to business manner. O'Neill thought that his CO sounded a bit more chipper than usual, and chalked it up to the holiday weekend that was approaching in a few hours.

// Another weekend stuck in this joint. I wonder what kind of trouble I can get Jonas into with the nurses? //

The meeting had barely started, and Jack found himself drifting away from the conversation already. He kept a well-trained ear on the briefing, and continued on to himself about what else he could possibly do to Jonas.

// Well, let's see. We've tried I Spy; we suck at hide and seek; I never win at Tic Tac Toe; I can win at hangman because Jonas still isn't familiar with Earth slang, but that's too easy; all he ever drinks is water, so I can't pull the laxative trick on him; I still can't beat him at chess because Teal'c has played chess with him since the day he got here; damn. I'll think of something we can do around this place for some excitement. //

"....isn't that right Colonel?" Damn. He did it again. Carter was asking him something, and Jack didn't hear the question the first time. Damn Damn Damn. He played along.

"Yes, Major, I think so." Ah hell he may as well just say it out loud. "What was the question again?"

"I said, SIR, that what little Naquadria we were able to extract from the rock samples that Sg-13 returned with, was enough for the Pentagon to authorize a long-term mining operation. So even though it was just supposed to be a routine mission, we've made a fantastic discovery. Isn't that right?" Sam was ever so patient with her CO and his wandering attention span.

"Yes, Major, absolutely. But we should give credit where it is due. If Jonas here hadn't forgotten to fasten his ears to his head the morning we left, and disobeyed my orders, we wouldn't have much to be excited about would we?" Jack was still bitter about missing his hockey game that night.

"Yes sir, in fact, If Jonas and Teal'c hadn't researched the ancient Goa'uld dialect last week, then we never would have even known how to disable the plate and collect the samples. The cavern where you fell was actually a Naquadria mine that's been abandoned for thousands of years. Hopefully the excavation team can uncover some more details when they begin work in a couple of weeks."

Teal'c and Jonas were quiet as usual through the briefing, but their chests puffed out just a little when Sam honored them with her praise. Jack rolled his eyes, and hoped none of the others saw it. 

"Okay, well that just about takes care of everything. SG-1, you are on light duty until Colonel O'Neill and Jonas are cleared by Doctor Frasier to return to full, active duty. Colonel, maybe you can finally get caught up on that paperwork. It's not an option. Major Carter, I believe you requested to help Sergeant Siler with some gate diagnostics, request granted. Teal'c you will accompany the excavation team back to PY2-487, but only for the first few days, to help acquaint them to the terrain. Then you are free to take some personal time. Jonas, SG-5 returned this morning with some written logs in an as yet unseen language. I will have an airman go with you to your room to assist you with whatever you need to research the writing. I will be in and out this weekend, as we only have two teams off world. I want to get in a little time with my granddaughters for the holiday, so you know where to find me in the event of an emergency. Colonel Chekov will be in charge when I am not here. Don't worry, he's been briefed about what to do and what not to do. If there's nothing else then, you're dismissed." Knowing exactly what was coming next, and who it was coming from, Hammond gave O'Neill a "don't you say anything about a Russian being in charge because you're laid up" look, and stood up to go. Sam stood in respect, as the General started to exit the commissary.

"Um.. General?" Jack queried. " With respect, is there any way we could avoid being sent on the ROUTINE missions? Can't you give those to the Marines or something? The only reason I ask is because when we go on the missions where we're supposed to do some ass kicking, that's what we do. And we arrive home most of the time in one piece. On the missions where we are supposed to do nothing but ROUTINE....whatever these guys do," O'Neill gestured to Carter and Jonas. "WE'RE the ones getting our asses kicked. What do you say sir?" Jack pleaded. He didn't mind a little begging every now and then.

Relieved about his 2IC not questioning the orders for Chekov's temporary command, the stout General answered readily; his usual. "We'll see Colonel." He turned on his heels to go. "Have a good weekend, Jack. The rest of you do the same." Hammond acknowledged the rest of the team and left.

"Hey that's no fair." Teal'c, Jonas and Sam all rolled their eyes as the Colonel started his rant.

"You guys get to do fun stuff, and I have to do paperwork?" Jack snuffed.

"I think the General was referring to after the holiday sir, when everyone else has to return to work too. Have a good weekend Colonel. You too Jonas." Sam was trying not to have pity on her wheelchair bound teammates, and she was already walking away as she finished her sentence. Teal'c followed Carter, and Jack and Jonas were left alone to find their own way back to their beds in the infirmary.

"So Jonas, we meet again." The Colonel's cynicism was not lost on Jonas.

"Colonel, I realize you're getting tired of me, but since we are stuck here on the base recovering together, how about we had back to the infirmary for some Chess?"

" Actually, I had a new game in mind." Jack said slyly, as the two men started the now familiar motion of turning their wheelchairs to leave.

"What would that be Colonel?" Jonas was starting to get a funny feeling he didn't like where this was going.

"Have you learned anything about the game 'Tag'?" Jack was grinning wildly.

"Well sir, to be honest with you, I have and...." Jonas quietly inched his wheelchair so that it was slightly ahead of Jack's.

"And what Jonas, you don't want to play? C'mon, the General has gone home, and the nurses in the infirmary aren't expecting us back for a little while, What do you think? A nice friendly game of wheelchair tag? We'll stay on this level and the level of the infirmary only. The infirmary is our "free zone; we can't tag each other in there. So are the elevators. When I was a kid, it was called BASE. It'll be fun. What do you say?" Jack was desperate for some excitement.

"I would say... YOU'RE IT!" Jonas started wheeling as fast as he could down the corridor. He was smiling madly the entire time. 

"You little shit!" Jack was taken totally by surprise, but he also took Jonas's bait and started his own wheelchair in hot pursuit. He just had to get to the elevators before Jonas. Since the corridors were all just big octagon shaped loops that interconnected, Jack decided to swing a quick u-turn and head in the opposite direction that Jonas had gone. 

//I WILL get to the elevators before him, and get down to the infirmary level, and tag his ass. //

Although his back was aching incredibly, Jack wheeled faster and faster. He rounded the corners at perilous speeds, one time, he even ended up on one wheel.

//Shit, I had better not tip over, I'll be pulling head duty until I retire if I do something else to get hurt. Especially here on base. The doc and the General both will nail my ass! //

Now, the Colonel had just one advantage over his younger, faster opponent. His legs were both down on the footrests of the chair, while Jonas still had his right leg extended because of the full length cast. To Jack's own amazement, he actually beat Jonas to the corridor that connected to the hallway for the elevators.

// AHha! I got him now! // 

The Colonel put his head down and used his arms to rev the wheelchair for all it's worth. Just then, Jonas rounded the corner up ahead of Jack, and because of his leg being extended, the young Kelownan was having trouble navigating the turn. Jack charged on, hearing the ding from the elevator as it got to their level.

//What luck! The elevator is stopping at this floor! If I get there first, I can get down to the infirmary level, wait for the little turd, and tag him before he gets to the free zone. Bring it on! // 

Jack was finally getting some real excitement. With Jonas still having trouble at the corner, Jack put his head down again, and raced down the homestretch. He never saw General Hammond step out of the elevators into the hallway. Jack looked up at the last second, and saw his CO. Jack could have sworn he saw steam rise out of Hammond's collar, like on the _Looney Tunes. _At the very last instant, the Colonel swerved his chair to avoid mowing down his General, and crashed with a painful yawp into the corridor wall. Slowly, he hung his head in guilt, and turned the chair around to face his doom. Jonas rolled his wheelchair up behind the Colonel in silence. Hammond hadn't seen that Jonas was just as involved as Jack, and Jonas wasn't about to give it away either.

"Sir! Great to have you back so soon! Just couldn't stay away, huh?" Jack winced outwardly, as he prepared for his own ass whooping, injuries be damned.

"Colonel, I just came back to get my cover, I left it in the commissary. What the hell do you think you are doing?" The irate Stargate Commander demanded of his second in charge. Jonas spoke up from behind the Colonel.

"Colonel O'Neill... I spy something that starts with the letter G." Jonas rolled innocently into the empty elevator car. Hammond didn't even seem to notice, as his attention was still concentrated on his insubordinate Colonel. As the elevator doors slid closed, Jack watched Jonas give a little wave, and flash the world's biggest shit-eating grin.

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So that's all gang! Please review, tell me if I should write more like this, or give it a rest and try something new.


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